by Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh Penguins center Nick Spaling was the latest to forgo a hearing, agreeing to a two-year, $4.4 million contract.

That leaves Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban as the last possible player to attend a hearing this summer. His case is scheduled for Friday morning and he has filed for $8.5 million while Montreal seeks $5.25 million. Arbitrators often pick a number between the two. The record award is $7.5 million to Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber in 2011.

Of the 22 other players who either filed or had their teams file, only one hearing took place. That was a special circumstance because Vladimir Sobotka had signed to play in the Kontinental Hockey League and the St. Louis Blues filed to retain his rights. He will have to play for $2.725 million when he returns from Russia.

Last year, all 21 players settled early. Arbitration forces a hard deadline to get a deal done.

Spaling, 25, who made $1.5 million last season, was acquired from the Nashville Predators, along with Patric Hornqvist, at last month's draft in the James Neal trade. He had a career year with 13 goals, 19 assists and 32 points in 71 games.

He'll be an unrestricted free agent after the contract expires in 2015-16.

The Penguins still have to re-sign restricted free agent Brandon Sutter, who made $2.7 million last season.